Welcome to the Wanna Be Music Critic. (WBMC)
When my brother mentioned that the latest Taylor Swift album called 1989 is bad and not a very good one, I decided to listen to it for myself. I'm not a fan of her music, but I do like some of her songs that I've heard on the radio. To make myself clear I like classic rock and oldies so her music isn't really directed to people like me, but I also don't judge before I listen, or at least I try. Anyways... let's begin.
It's a hipster picture of her body and the 1989 year on it. It's kind of cool only because it's vague, I like vague and I don't want you to show off, cause it's all about the music.
As I listen to the songs I will write the reviews about them as much as I can fit on them while I type. If you wanna skip the to end to see what my overall opinion was, go right ahead.
Welcome to New York.
Sounds repetitive like classic pop from today's era. I don't like lyrics. You know how some movies start off with images of New York and helicopter shots panning from left to right, or from the ground to the top of skyscrapers. It may fit there. I could also image a short scene from her spinning around in the middle of Times Square at night. I think the song is attempting to describe her having fun in New York but repeats the "Welcome" line so much it gets old quick. The Bridge was a nice break from the pop music but then that chorus came back again..... Afterwards I had to go to the bathroom and took a break, the chorus was still stuck in my head. Maybe that's a good thing for this pop music.
Blank Space.
I don't understand her singing in this song. It has so many pauses it almost felt monotone. I really didn't like it because it didn't flow and I had to read the lyrics on the cover art to make sure what she was talking about. But this song was a little stupid. There's got to be a good song coming up soon or else I might have to end this review early if it's 3 for 3. Oh and according to this song she's available and has a blank space for your name. Oh and one more thing. it turns out she said "ex-lovers".*Style.
Funky guitar, Daft punk beat, and then she starts singing. I would have preferred this one as just a musical track. It reminds me of few video game remixes. I do like the music in this one, but there she goes again with pauses in her singing. Is this another love song? This song inspired me to write a love song about writing a love song :) The chorus seems to be her style and it fits the song, but I'm not gonna lie, the music saved this song. But just barely, I'm not liking her lyrics today.
Out Of The Woods
What? The drumming is messy and so is the music structure. I felt like closing the track and moving onto the next one, but I can do this. I don't like the chorus, I felt like rapping would have fit in nicely in this song instead. "Are we outta this song?" (Repeat 5 times)
I took a break and listened to something else after this song. I don't want this to be a review that rags on all the songs like I'm some sort of professional music critic, but my goodness... so far this has not gone well. but of course it hasn't gone horrible wrong either.
The next day I listened to this song again. Her singing is much smoother in this one and nicer than the previous songs. Then I started to realized that the highlight of this song is her singing. The lyrics sound a little better but the chorus ruined it. In the end, this song is almost as bad as I remember yesterday.
*All You Had To Do Was Stay
So far so good. The chorus sounds poppy. That funny high pitch in "stay" is silly. This song is overall alright with me and I can kind of hear the guitar strumming in the background which makes me think this song was closer to what she would have played by herself, music-wise. But after listening to her singing, I don't think she has a large range of notes. The track just sounded unnecessarily overproduced by pop tones which I aren't needed in this track. I'm also understanding her lyrics more and more but I don't like how they're mostly relationship related. It get's old really quick, kind of like how Kelly Clarkson was all breakup songs. We all remember that. Oh just me? Alright then, be like that.
*Shake It Off
Hey real drumming. Oh I remember this song now, I've heard it somewhere else before, I don't know where but I liked this one and maybe it's due to the simplicity of the intro. I think I liked this one cause it's just a random dancing song and not a relationship song; well it's a good break from the rest. Both the verses and chorus are good. Oh no, that middle I don't remember this. hmm sounds ghetto. It didn't seem necessary.
After I wrote this review I looked it up online and it's the song that came with a music video (I don't wanna watch it, because twerking that's why), and it makes sense. So far it's also the best song in the album so it makes sense to broadcast this one in the spotlight.
I Wish You Would.
Back to fake drumming... Apparently this is a song about regrets, and relationships. Nope, it's just annoying, no me gusta. The voice solo sounded really good, but once the music kicks in it overshadows it with noise.
Bad Blood
A team of Taylor Swifts starts singing a Capella. More terrible drumming, my goodness fire that guy he's ruining the album. Pretty soon someone else starts helping her sing the song, I don't know who she is but it fits. Taylor gets another good voice solo and I can finally understand her lyrics but the chorus throws the song down the floor and makes it bad..... blood. Hey!
Around this point I wonder if I should finish this review and end it. I also start to realize this is going to be a very long article if I keep this up, There's at least 16 songs on this album and 3 voice memo's whatever those are, but I will save it for the end. Let's carry on.
Wildest Dreams
I feel uncomfortable hearing this song, is it abut her prince charming? The drumming goes for a heartbeat style, but this makes it hard to use in a soft song unless it's a really deep meaning song, and the way she describes things is a bit shallow. But then again who isn't shallow in their "dreams" :)
How You Get Ihe Girl
Uh uh uh, Rain rain rain.Ugh paused signing, meaningless lyrics. I don't like it. Maybe I'm just not in the mood for pop music this morning. But if she was going for pop in this album she succeeded. Maybe this is a good pop song, however I don't like it, it's messy sounding and loud. And some people do enjoy this. Ah voice and guitar break. You know this song would song better acoustic. Maybe she should just redo this one acoustic, I would prefer that.
*This Love
Very soft and echoey. I find this a very distracting song that will work well in the background of your workday while you do something else, it's the only reason I like this song. But so many voices all over the place.
I Know Places.
OK, now she's just flaunting her paused singing. It's like she and her drummer decided to purposely make the most annoying song and the pop mixer thought, I can make top that. Surprisingly I think the chorus is the highlight of this song, no wait... That bass. yeah. Good bass player.
As I do this review I realize I'm not trying to figure out this person or her motivations like other reviews are doing, I'm just doing it for the music.
*Clean
Like the background of a video game that involves solving puzzles, the tune is very relaxing. But once more it's a breakup song? Analogies. Punch a hole in the roof? The chorus tries to sound big and important but lets you down softly with the tune of a xylophone and lots of voices all over the place again, meh. Overall it's an OK song.
Wonderland
As we near the end the songs seem to get better. But she always finds to do something in very song to annoy me, it's the pauses in her lyrics and singing that does it for this song. Eh eh eh eh in Wonderlaaa-aaa-aand. The piano is a nice touch but it seems like they still kept that drummer. We both went bad. Never worse but never better. It looks like he'll last forever. Song overall is alright since I like some of the musical touches and chord structure.
*You Are In Love.
The words confuse me, like a confused person trying to have a conversation with me. But the chorus explains that for me. And I enjoyed the music in this song, because it's very calm and soothing almost like "This Love" but the pauses and relationship themes get old. Maybe because I'm not in one and I don't feel her music like other fans might. You may understand why they lost their mind and fought their wars.
*New Romantics
Last one. Yay! Let's end on a good note. Yeah I'm tired of everything here. Maybe I'll pick and choose songs from her while ignoring the rest. I don't usually do that with good albums, but this song would make the cut it's a good pop song with the right amount of noise and flow. The drummer was finally programmed to pop a good beat. But I am not a fan of modern pop and this one fits the mold only too well. At least I won't go crazy when people blast this song from their radio.
Memo (I Know Places)
She's talking, her voice sounds familiar. She's talking about writing music. Oh now I see where her pauses come from. That's how she talks. Oh yay music! Hmm even she does the voice intros like that. Well to each their own. The piano is nice and simple. It would definitely make a good pop song as there's plenty of wiggle room. But it sounds so different from the album version. I compared them and whatever. You know.
Memo (I Wish You Would)
So it started with someone else song, and that's fine. Oh and she explained the song, sick. This memo also made me realize she's a pretty good singer on her own. Which is nice.
Memo (Blank Space)
Ha! Replay the tape on your phone. Classy hipster wording. :) Whoa that singing on the guitar, it just turned bad... well at least it sounded like she was having fun.
Well I'm finally done and I'm glad this turned out to be a very long post as probably no one will read it like that. The songs are all very.... her and sound like they do belong together in the album, which is why it's only fair to critique them together.
Final Judgement
I don't like it. It wasn't terrible and I made it through alive so I can only determine that my brother was exaggerating and this CD actually had some good ones in there.
